Most types of optical fibers are designed to guide light with minimal loss. However, there are certain types of optical fibers that are intentionally designed to emit light from the outer surface, or through the “side” of the optical fiber, as the guided light travels down the fiber. Such fibers, referred to herein as “side-emitting fibers,” are used as sources of illumination and to achieve a variety of visual effects for a wide range of applications.
One visual effect that is desirable is to have the color of the emitted light vary as a function of its position along the side-emitting fiber. It is further desirable to be able to accomplish this visual effect using only one light source that emits light at a single wavelength. It is further desirable to be able to have the side-emitting fiber emit light at a wavelength different from that of the light inputted into the side-emitting fiber.